Just as Eleanor was about to start the car, she turned and noticed thatn hadn''t fastened his seatbelt. He was leaning back against the headrest with his eyes closed, as if he''d forgotten.


    "Seatbelt," she reminded him.


    into ce.


    Eleanor sighed in frustration and had to lean over to help him.


    Ian allowed her to buckle it for him. Just as she was about to pull her hand away, hisrge hand gently closed around her wrist.


    The heat of his palm made Eleanor''s breath catch. She looked up at him with a frown and warned, "Don''t."


    His voice was husky, tinged with a deep, lingering tenderness.


    Eleanor had no intention of responding. Drunk men were unpredictable, and she just hoped he wouldn''t cause any more trouble on the way home.


    "Sit still," she said, ncing at him before starting the car and pulling out onto the main road.


    To her relief,n was obedient. He didn''t do anything else, simply leaning back against the seat with the faintest hint of a smile on his lips.


    Eleanor''s car moved smoothly through the night-lit streets. She focused on driving, deliberately ignoring the powerful presence of the man beside her.


    Along the way, Serena called. Eleanor answered it through the car''s system. "Serena."


    "Ellie, Evelyn wants to sleep over with me tonight. Is that okay?"


    Evelyn''s pleading voice came through the speaker. "Mommy, please? I want to have a sleepover with my aunt!"


    Hearing her daughter''s sweet voice, Eleanor couldn''t help but smile. "Alright."


    "Thank you, Mommy!" Evelyn eximed happily, and Serena hung up.


    About a kilometer from her apartmentplex, a soft, suppressed groan came from the passenger seat.


    Eleanor instinctively nced over


    and saw fan''s brow tightly furrowed. One hand was pressed against his stomach; and his face illuminated by the passing streetlights, was contorted in pain.


    She remembered all the alcohol he had consumed on an empty stomach and knew


    his stomach must be protesting.


    "Does your stomach hurt?" she asked.


    "Yeah," the man grunted.


    Eleanor immediately put on her turn signal and pulled over in front of a pharmacy. After parking, she turned to him. "Wait in the car. I''ll go get you some medicine."


    She hurried into the pharmacy and went straight to the section for stomach medicine. A clerk greeted her warmly. "Miss looking for something for an upset stomach? This one''s a bestseller. Would you like to try it?"


    "Do you have Mnta?" Eleanor asked directly. Ian''s stomach was particr; it was the only brand that didn''t give him side effects.


    The clerk paused for a second, then nodded. "We do. It''s a milder form, just a bit more expensive."


    "I''ll take that one," Eleanor told her.


    The clerk handed her a box. After paying, Eleanor asked the clerk for a cup of warm water.


    When she opened the passenger-side door, she saw thatn''s brow was knitted even tighter. A fineyer of sweat had broken out on his forehead from the pain.


    "Take this first," she said, handing him the medicine and the water.<pn looked down at the box in her hand. Mnta. She still remembered.